When carmakers such as Ferrari decide to build a car and eventually complete the process, there’s not much one could add to that concoction without trashing its ethos like a silk cloth under muddy military boots. Luckily, Novitec doesn’t share that opinion and we are emphasizing the luckily bit because their creations bring just enough to subtly spice up a supercar’s traits rather than send them crashing into the pit of the grotesque. Add the customary bump in oomph and we dare say that Novitec’s work comes straight from the tuning industry’s top shelves. It’s also an example that other tuners, which shall remain unnamed for the time being, should try to follow. When it’s not fiddling with Teslas, Novitec focuses on tuning programs for Ferraris, which are more or less its bread and butter.

I’m here for the Novitec Ferrari 488 Pista, so tell me more about it

Those lucky enough to own a 488 Pista can make further arrangements to bump up the supercar both visually and mechanically. On the performance front, Novitec will happily take out its magic wand and point it at the mid-mounted V-8. The wizardry - going by the name of Novitec N-Tronic - reprograms the engine’s management software and exhaust architecture in such a manner that the 488 Pista’s résumé now mentions 777 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. But that’s only Stage 1.

Ferrari 488 Pista specifications

Stage 3 is a similar setup, but with extra sport metal catalysts for the exhaust system. Awkwardly enough, this level isn’t the most powerful available, but a mid-positioned option between Stage 1 and Stage 2, rated at 785 horsepower and 656 pound-feet of torque.

Standard Ferrari 488 Pista Vs Novitec 488 Pista Power Increase

Novitec says that in Stage 1, the 0-100 km/h sprint (0-62 mph) is dispatched in 2.7 seconds, which is 1.5 seconds quicker than what a bone-stock Ferrari 488 Pista can deliver. Yet for some reasons, the tuner doesn’t mention this sort of improvement (if any) for Stage 2 and Stage 3, although torque goes up and in theory, the dash from naught to 100 km/h (62 mph) should drop accordingly. What we’re told, however, is that the 488 Pista’s top speed jumps from 211 mph (340 km/h) to 214 mph (345 km/h). Again, Novitec fails to mention which tuning stage enforces this change.

Sounds good, but what about the Pista’s aesthetics?

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Glad you asked. Novitec came up with its own wheel designs, but is quick to mention they are made “exclusively for Ferrari.” Since we’re touching on drivetrain, Novitec will also tweak the suspension setup to the extent desired by the customer thanks to a a kit that comprises aluminum spacers, titanium wheel bolts, and a hydraulic suspension mod that lets you lower or raise the car’s nose by 40 mm.

As for the design-boosting bits and bobs, they range from taillights surrounds and side panels to a front splitter, rear lip spoiler and side-mirror covers. As a bonus, there’s a new sound note coming from the V-8-exhaust duo, but we won’t do the injustice of trying to describe it in words. We’ll let the video below do the talking.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Ferrari 488 Pista.